novelraw Chapter 258 - 172: An Identical Mi Yin and Her Child
Chapter 258 - 172: An Identical Mi Yin and Her Child
"SCREEE—"
A flock of eagles circled high above, their cries piercing the clouds.
Their sharp eagle eyes vigilantly scanned the ground thousands of meters below. Not the slightest disturbance escaped their sight.
As predators who were the natural enemies of snakes, Song Yi and the other Eagle Beasts quickly spotted the giant python that was trying its best to conceal its aura. On the ground, Ling Hong, who was leading the group, heard the commotion from the sky and was instantly on alert.
He silently shielded An Jin behind him, his thin lips pressed into a tight line as he continued across the swamp without a change in expression.
In the vast, endless swamp, the water suddenly churned violently. The crocodiles that had been watching from a distance suddenly went berserk and charged them, snapping their jaws with reckless abandon.
The Beastmen, who had been crossing the swamp steadily, were thrown into chaos in an instant.
They had to fight off the frenzied crocodile swarm while also watching out for the swamp suddenly giving way beneath their feet. The Beastmen were completely suppressed, unable to use their full strength, and were forced to retreat step by step.
"Take her and the cargo first!"
Ling Hong roared at the Eagle Beasts in the sky.
"Understood!"
Dozens of Eagle Beasts instantly dove down. Unexpectedly, crocodiles also leaped out of the swamp, their massive jaws gaping as they tried to bite one of the Eagle Beast’s heads.
The long, sharp jaws, opened at a grotesque 90-degree angle, shot straight up. In the next second, its head was sliced clean off by an invisible blade.
The crocodile’s head slammed down into the mire, sending countless specks of mud flying.
"Everyone, stay calm! Find solid ground if you can! Eagle Beasts, take the Beastmen away in groups!" An Jin wiped the blood and mud from her face. She crouched slightly, just about to reach for a descending Eagle Beast, when a familiar black-and-red serpentine shadow flashed before her eyes.
The aura, so familiar it felt etched into her body and soul, made An Jin freeze for a moment, and her movements faltered for a beat.
In that single instant, the python was so fast it was just a blur. Before anyone could react, the Snake Beast had snatched her into his arms.
The thick scent of blood assaulted her nostrils. The icy chest pressed against her back felt like a phantom’s. An Jin’s face turned pale, and the smell of blood made her feel even more nauseous.
’No, this isn’t Gu Yin. That terrifying force choking my neck... he would never treat me like this.’
The Snake Beast’s familiar appearance and aura also made Ling Hong freeze in the distance. His body went rigid and cold, as if he had been thrown back several years in time.
—To the first time they had fought over a female.
A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind, but it all happened in a split second. Realizing something was wrong, Ling Hong shifted into his beast form and lunged, only to be swatted away by a sweep of the snake’s tail, crashing to the ground.
"HISS~"
’An Eighth Rank Snake Beast?!’
High above, Song Yi’s pupils contracted. His wings, shimmering with golden light, flashed as he dove toward the Snake Beast.
Although he was its natural predator, the Eighth Rank Snake Beast’s defense and combat power were terrifying to the extreme. He was completely unable to snatch back the female, who was held tightly in the Snake Beast’s one-handed grip.
Countless crocodiles lunged from all directions, their numbers swelling like a bursting beast tide, blocking the Beastmen’s line of sight.
By the time Ling Hong and the others finished off the crocodiles, An Jin and the Snake Beast were long gone.
"He wants to keep the female for himself?"
Song Yi couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
"No, it’s not Gu Yin! That Snake Beast looked and felt almost exactly like him, but he didn’t have a mate mark on his chest!"
Ling Hong’s expression was darker than thunder. Veins bulged on his clenched fists, and his body trembled slightly.
Even if the two snakes’ auras were identical, and their human forms were nearly indistinguishable, the absence of a mate mark on the chest proved they weren’t the same snake.
...
The jungle flew past her vision. A pair of large, icy hands clamped tightly over An Jin’s mouth and nose, muffling any sound she tried to make.
The black-and-red python moved through the swamp as if it were solid ground. After many twists and turns, and crossing several hills, it arrived at a hidden cave.
Along the way, they encountered several Crocodile Beastmen and other Wandering Beastmen.
They all stared at the Snake Beast with fear, their legs trembling as they backed away. "...Gu Yin, y-you’re back? Didn’t you go to live in a tribe?"
The black-haired, red-eyed man looked at them coldly. "Gu Yin?"
’So that’s my twin brother’s name? Looks like I came to the right place. This is where that Snake Beast was born.’
’Those crocodiles just now actually helped me, unexpectedly. It seems that was also because of my dear brother. I really have him to thank for that, don’t I?’